They do a lot better than that in NJ. Funny thing is, you always hear them complaining about their low salaries. I think they do pretty well for only working 180 days per year.

For those who struggle with math, that's less than half the days in a year. Considering I work 5 out of 7 and they work less than 1 out of 2, I think they do great.

Bonnie

02-19-2011, 10:56 PM

They do a lot better than that in NJ. Funny thing is, you always hear them complaining about their low salaries. I think they do pretty well for only working 180 days per year.

For those who struggle with math, that's less than half the days in a year. Considering I work 5 out of 7 and they work less than 1 out of 2, I think they do great.

But, don't teachers do a lot of outside work too, grading papers, preparing lesson plans... and also teacher work days where the kids are off but not them. My older sister is a teacher and she said how they would have to buy certain supplies, etc... for their classrooms out of their own pockets because the schools didn't provide or pay for them. :unsure: Maybe Donna Maria can tell us more since she's a teacher.

Considering how they are always saying how far behind we are in math and science here in America compared to other countries, I really think our kids need less time off and more time in school.

KENTUCKYREDBONE

02-20-2011, 05:03 AM

.

Considering how they are always saying how far behind we are in math and science here in America compared to other countries, I really think our kids need less time off and more time in school.

Maybe the Kids need more teachers and schools that actually teach! Also I have in the past janatored in School's and the Janitor's were the only ones that had to work year round! Some teachers would occasionally stay late to get everything done and some got out of their as quick as they could! Some teachers are pretty smart and some ain't!

KENTUCKYREDBONE

02-20-2011, 07:41 AM

Madison, Wisc..] Wisconsin taxpayers would be very generous to state employees even after the proposed budget repair bill passes this week, according to a just released study. The website HCTrends indicates if the proposed changes were to become law, public employees would still pay less toward their family health insurance premium than most other Midwestern states and the vast majority of large employers in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Currently, Wisconsin state employees pay less than 5 percent of the premium cost for family coverage (4.35 percent for union employees and 4.96 percent for non?union employees). That’s lower than the 6.2 percent they paid in 2009, when Wisconsin’s employee contribution was the second?lowest among Midwest states for family coverage.

Republican Governor Scott Walker has proposed raising the employee share of health insurance premiums to 12.4 percent, however even after the additional contribution, the contribution rate would still be less than the 2009 Midwest average for state government employees.

Moreover, the new rate would also be less than the employee contributions required at 85 percent of large Milwaukee?area employers.

The proposed changes would cost the average state employee an additional $1,560 per year for family coverage, but the amount they would pay ($2,496) would still be significantly less than the $3,875 average premium contribution at large private?sector employers in southeastern Wisconsin.

“State employees will also continue to get much more for their money than their private sector counterparts,” the study reads. “The state plan offers more benefits, lower deductibles, co-pays and out of pocket maximums than the average private sector plan.”

HCTrends reviewed data from the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the HCTrends Greater Milwaukee Health Care Benefits Survey.

The NCSL data was used to compare Wisconsin state employee benefits with eight other Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Ohio. The HCTrends employer survey data was used to compare Wisconsin state plan costs and design with private?sector employers in southeastern Wisconsin.

The study can be found, here.

DonnaMaria

02-21-2011, 05:03 PM

Well. Let me first say that I don’t necessarily agree with what the teachers are doing in Wisconsin.

But I would like to say a few words about teachers that I know and about the teacher that I am.

Teachers in NJ are required to have a double major. That means that they have to have a BA in two different subjects before they can graduate college. My degrees were in education and psychology. For this reason it takes the average education college student 5-6 years to graduate college and not the standard 4 years. So it takes longer to get their degree. If you want to compare salaries we should compare what a double major college graduate makes in the private sector vs., what a double major teacher makes. I think you will find that teachers make less. Before anyone says, “Well you are only working ½ the year.” Those averages are based on per hour worked and not year end salaries. If anything, the average annual salaries are less for teachers but since we work less hours per year, it balances out

Also , teachers may “work” 180 days with kids in the classroom, but they are required to attend 2-4 additional days of work for professional development. They are also required to attend additional professional/work days as required by their contract. Back to school nights, open houses, special activities on Saturdays. I have also worked the concession stand at our community little league field, attended Veteran’s Day ceremonies, worked the annual book fair and talent shows, the run to raise drug awareness, the local autism walk……….the list goes on and on. I don’t get paid for these activities and I don’t expect to get paid for them. They are part of the job and I am happy to show my support. So are my friends. The ones I would consider the “good” teachers. So even though I get “paid” for about 184 days a year, I work many, many more without pay. I don’t get overtime, so if one week I have to do 4 DYFS reports or 3 reports from the state concerning the racial make up of my classroom vs, the academic performance of each student, that is all on my own. Again, it’s part of the job and I understand that. I went into education because I care about kids and because I wanted to make a difference in their lives. However I must admit that it hurts a bit when people say “You’re a teacher? It must be nice to have your summers off!” or “Yeah, teachers have it made!” as if to imply that I don’t work hard for my students and I only went into the educational field for the summers off. That kind of mentality is upsetting and really, if ANYONE wants their summers off then they can go to college for 5-6 years, have a double major and start off making ¼ of what their fellow IT graduate friends are making with just a 4 year degree.

I may only “work” 185 days a year but the average person works about 245 days a year with two weeks vacation and regular holidays. That doesn’t include personal days or if they have more vacation time. Some friends who work in the private sector have 5 weeks of vacation time after 15 years.

Also, teachers DO a huge amount of work outside of the “office.” Even if a teacher leaves on time afterschool they usually have at least 2-3 hours of work at night to do for their students/kids. I have a 20 minute prep time each day and with 28 students that means that I have a lot to do at night or afterschool to make sure that I am ready for the next days activities. I’m supposed to get a 30 minute lunch but often don’t get that because I am speaking with parents/administrators/attending more professional development meetings required by the state. I have stayed hours after school on a regular basis because I have needed to get so much work done, and I have left right after school with hours of work in hand because my girls needed me for some activity. A teacher leaving on time isn’t an indication of a “good” teacher or a “bad” teacher since many teachers must leave to collect their children and then do their school work after their mommy or daddy duties are over.

And Bonnie is right, I DO spend a lot of my own money in my classroom because my budget only allows me to buy a small percentage of the equipment/materials needed for the school year. According to my accountant, last year I spent almost 5 thousand dollars to make up for the shortfall in my budget.

Bottom line………I love being a teacher :) and I am thankful for my job. I work hard for the children in my care and I spend a lot of time and energy and money during the school year to help them any way that I can. I do get summers off but lots of my friends who are college graduates not working in the educational field get a month off for vacation time as well and they make a good deal more than I do. I'm not complaining about my salary.......just pointing out a fact. :)

I’m writing this in a rush since I am shuttling 4 giggly girls to a school sponsored skating party in about 20 minutes, so please forgive any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. :)

KENTUCKYREDBONE

02-22-2011, 07:27 AM

I'm not against all Teachers! I am against those that called in Sick to protest. When the country has so many out of work and willing to try almost any work yet these People who are making a very nice salary,with an unbelievably nice benefit package are whining and boohooing about their situation disgust me. The people paying their salaries are going broke but they want to keep their union always asking for more. No not asking but demanding! I know that their are good Teachers,cops and such but these cry babies are a disgusting insult to those that really are good. That and I believe that as a whole the good Government workers are few and far between. Not counting our Military!
By the way I'm guessing that you are one of the few good ones!

rearnakedchoke

02-22-2011, 06:11 PM

I’m writing this in a rush since I am shuttling 4 giggly girls to a school sponsored skating party in about 20 minutes, so please forgive any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. :)

a good teacher just like any other good employee is worth it. so let's assume i'm talking about the good one that spends countless hours grading papers. my kids are in 1st and you should see the amount of graded paper they have. she has no helper. she has to do everything herself from stuffing papers into their bring home folders to grading papers. the teachers here are also required to keep a classroom website and to keep the kids grades for each assignment on a website that the parents can check daily. (did i mention they are only in 1st) i have no idea how much of her own money she spends.

i have been in the classroom before and try to avoid it. my nerves can not take 17 kids at a time. not to mention there is a new policy that requires all kids including ESE kids be intergrated into the regular classroom. so now all teachers have more certifications they have to do. and now they have to deal with the ese kids in their classroom. that is not necessarily a bad thing but it definately makes their job more challenging.

I thank my kids teachers almost everytime I see them. I even have both of their cell phone #s.

I still feel like teachers are lucky to get the whole summer off but after 17 kids a day for 180 days they deserve it. the only thing worse then 17 elementary kids are 17 high school or middle school kids:laugh:

BamaGrits84

02-22-2011, 09:40 PM

in alabama a teacher with a 4 year degree would start out making about $35 to $40k. This is about 1o - 15% less than most people make coming out of college around here. Given that most teachers actually only have 6 weeks off during the summer because of classroom work, enrichment classes, and required school meetings, I would say they actually only get about 6 weeks off. So they probably work slightly more than 10% less than a person with a 5 days a week job. So their pay difference does equal the the percentage of time off compared to most jobs.

BUT, these people take care of our children! They are educating the people who will run our country when we are too old to do it ourselves. I would like for them to be well paid.

Miss Foxy

02-22-2011, 09:41 PM

a good teacher just like any other good employee is worth it. so let's assume i'm talking about the good one that spends countless hours grading papers. my kids are in 1st and you should see the amount of graded paper they have. she has no helper. she has to do everything herself from stuffing papers into their bring home folders to grading papers. the teachers here are also required to keep a classroom website and to keep the kids grades for each assignment on a website that the parents can check daily. (did i mention they are only in 1st) i have no idea how much of her own money she spends.

i have been in the classroom before and try to avoid it. my nerves can not take 17 kids at a time. not to mention there is a new policy that requires all kids including ESE kids be intergrated into the regular classroom. so now all teachers have more certifications they have to do. and now they have to deal with the ese kids in their classroom. that is not necessarily a bad thing but it definately makes their job more challenging.

I thank my kids teachers almost everytime I see them. I even have both of their cell phone #s.

I still feel like teachers are lucky to get the whole summer off but after 17 kids a day for 180 days they deserve it. the only thing worse then 17 elementary kids are 17 high school or middle school kids:laugh:
Or being on the MH forum busting up some of the debates!! :laugh:

VCURamFan

02-22-2011, 09:42 PM

This is far & away my favorite take on the matter of teacher salaries:

Teachers get paid TOO much...I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty salary schedules. WHat we need here is a little perspective.

If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself-I'd pay them babysitting wages. That's right-instead of paying these outragous taxes, I'd give them $3 an hour out of my own pocket. And I'm only going to pay them for five hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15 a day. Each parent should pay $15 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their child. Even if they have more than one child, it's still a lot cheaper than private day care.

Now, how many children do they teach every day-maybe 20? That's $15x20=$300 a day. But remember, they only work 180 days a year! I am not going to pay them for all those vacations! $300x180=$54,000. (Just a minute, I think my claculator needs new batteries.)

I know now you teachers will say-what about those who have 10 years experience and a master's degree? Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get the minimum wage, and instead of just baby-sitting, they could read the kids a story. We could round that off to aobut $5 an hour, times five hours, times 20 children. That's $500 a day times 180 days. That's $90,000...HUH?!?

Wait a minute, let's get a little perspective here. Baby-sitting wages are too good for these teachers. Did anyone see a salary schedule around here?